Phoenix consultant and professional coach Jo Anne Musolf, founder of the Musolf Group Ltd., regularly gives a presentation titled, “How Your Mother Determines Your Business Success, and What You Can Do About It.”
“Most people have become who they are early in their careers by default,” she said.
In other words, what your mother thinks or says about you as a child ultimately defines how you perform in your career. That can be good or bad, depending on your childhood.
Musolf often counsels folks about how they can selectively eliminate those negative reminders from the past and succeed in spite of voices resonating from the past. At the same time, she said positive childhood messages usually lead to positive outcomes.
Sometimes, the parent-child experience is so successful that they decide to go into business with each other. The Phoenix Business Journal looked into some mother-child business arrangements in honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, and we discovered there are fringe benefits when the arrangements suit both well.
“Having a child be as interested in and caring about clients is incredibly satisfying as a mother,” said Patsy Nodilo, who runs a financial advisory firm with her son, MJ. “We’ve been blessed to mesh so well together.”
Musolf said mother-child partnerships can bring something to each person’s life that can’t be found in any other working relationship.
“There’s a positive that comes from having a similar history. There’s an unspoken shorthand between mother and child,” Musolf said. “Understanding a person takes a lot more time if you’re not family.”
That means a lot to Pat Christofolo, who operates the House at Secret Garden restaurant with her son, Dustin.
“As a single parent, there’s a real sense of security that the business will always be taken care of,” she said.
That unspoken shorthand might need some tweaking along the way, however. Musolf points out that everyone is constantly changing, so flexibility and open-mindedness still are required.
Carrie Hensley, who runs Inside the Bungalow yoga studio and cafe in Mesa with her mother, Betty Freeman, said it took a few years for her to work through the issues involved with being an equal, not just a daughter.
“But now, the best thing is that we’re there for each other,” Hensley said.
Jackie Wolfe said the reverse challenge had to be addressed with daughter Andrea Ptacek. They run Liquis Design together.
“I’m called Jackie, not mom, at work,” Wolfe said.
As long as both individuals have the same desires and goals, it will work out, said Lorrie Glaeser, who runs Streets of New York restaurants with her son, Ryan.
Musolf said the key is to respect the uniqueness in each other.
Donna Gabrilson and Stacey Barnes, partners in Goody Twos Toffee, said they make it work by being straight with each other.
“We meet in the middle, and that middle ground always means we’re honest with each other,” Gabrilson said.
That honesty is rooted in recognizing that their strength is in their differences.
“She’s a traditionalist, and I’m younger and more modern — but that’s what makes our company what it is,” Barnes said.
Connect with Jan Buchholz at jbuchholz@bizjournals.com or on Twitter at @jreneebuchholz.
Pat and son Dustin Christofolo
Company: The House at Secret Garden
Positions: Co-owners
How long: 2 years
Business: Restaurant
Web: www.houseatsecretgarden.com
Kudos for mom: “I feed off her experience. She gives me a lot of confidence.”
Betty Freeman and
daughter Carrie Hensley
Company: Inside the Bungalow
Positions: Co-owners
How long: 5 years
Business: Yoga studio and cafe
Web: www.insidethebungalow.com
Kudos for mom: “We love working together so much that we have staff work at different times so we can work together.”
Jackie Wolfe and
daughter Andrea Ptacek
Company: Liquis Design
Positions: Jackie, general manager; Andrea, marketing director
How long: 3 years
Business: Web and graphic design
Web: www.liquisdesign.com
Kudos for mom: “My mom is not only extremely business-savvy, but she also has our personal best interests in mind. The insight she brings to the table is multifaceted when it comes to keeping our business growing in the right direction.”
Lorrie and son Ryan Glaeser
Company: Streets of New York
Positions: Lorrie, president and owner; Ryan, vice president
How long: 16 years
Business: Restaurant chain
Web: www.streetsofnewyork.com
Kudos for mom: “What my mother brings to the business is a real nurturing quality. Whether it’s our family or the company family of over 500, everyone looks to her as mother.”
Donna Gabrilson and
daughter Stacey Barnes
Company: Goody Twos Toffee
Positions: Donna, president; Stacey, vice president
How long: 4 years
Business: Artisan toffee producer
Web: www.goodytwos.com
Kudos for mom: “My mom is my best friend, and I respect her so much as a business partner.”
Patsy and son MJ Nodilo
Company: Pathlight Investors
Positions: Patsy, CEO; MJ, president
How long: 2 years
Business: Financial advisory group
Web: www.pathlightinvestors.com
Kudos for mom: “If you have a good relationship with your parents, they will really value your opinion. From day one, I have had a voice.”